Emilie Wattiau: ‘Believe in yourself and your abilities and set your own goals.’
25 May 2023- Ten years of experience in financial institutions
- Strong belief that fortuitous opportunities in my path provide the greatest growth
- My keys to success: setting objectives, taking initiative and gaining the trust of my stakeholders
- My ambition? To become a team leader or project manager in a few years
Emilie has a diverse background in banking and insurance. Over the past decade, she developed her skills in Non-Standard Claims and in operational assignments as well as process implementation. On top of that, she has experience in training team members.
Her desire for the future is to strengthen her technical knowledge in banking and insurance, specifically life/death insurance, and to gain more insights into Business Analysis and the way teams operate. She always looks for assignments that challenge her with complex, customer-oriented, and diversified tasks. Most of all, she wants to make a positive impact in her work.
Describe what motivates you in two sentences.
What motivates me every day is the possibility to learn and discover new things. Therefore, it’s important for me to challenge myself and expand my skills.
Tell us about your academic background.
Throughout my academic career, I've always had to work after school to finance my studies. That's why, upon earning my Bachelor's degree in law, I signed a permanent contract at an insurance company. However, I didn't just want to settle for this degree... I wanted to continue my education by pursuing a master's degree in labor sciences, which I could complete in staggered hours. As I gradually transitioned into the banking sector, pursuing a master's degree in management felt like the next logical step.
Why TriFinance?
One of the key reasons why I was and still am drawn to TriFinance is because of its unique philosophy. TriFinance strongly emphasizes listening to the desires and needs of its colleagues and clients while also taking action to make them a reality. Also, the excellent support and follow-up thanks to its team of experienced mentors is something I really noticed during my own recruitment process. The approach of TriFinance aligns with my own values and work ethic and offers an ideal environment for me to grow and succeed professionally.
My main ambition was - and still is - to strive for more responsibility over the years.
Emilie Wattiau, Project Consultant - TriFinance Financial Institutions
What was your ambition before you started at TriFinance? What is it now?
When asked, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" I've never had a concrete answer. I believe that opportunities arise and lead us down paths we may not have anticipated. My main ambition is to take on more responsibility while gaining experience by tackling increasingly complex and challenging tasks. Perhaps in a few years, I will have the opportunity to lead a team or manage a project. Ultimately, my goal is to continue growing and advancing in my career.
How do you grow your ambition?
Setting goals is an essential part of my personal development. I want to showcase my abilities and push myself out of my comfort zone every day. I thrive on learning and challenging myself with new subjects, projects, and activities. When I don't have a learning curve of any kind, I tend to become bored and lose my motivation. To grow my ambition, I focus on setting achievable goals, taking initiative, and seeking feedback from others to gain confidence in my abilities and work.
What does ‘Grow your Ambition’ mean to you?
To create the opportunity - by gaining the necessary trust from the client - to step out of my comfort zone. To discover new projects and to do what is necessary to bring them to fruition.
Why did you choose a career in consulting?
I wanted to deepen certain skills and bring my expertise to several financial institutions. To me, working as a consultant - especially in the financial sector - allows me to know and understand the functioning of several companies. Such as their organizational culture, contacts with the customer, the functioning of their processes,... On top of that, it allows me to identify what's working well and where there's room for improvement at each of these institutions, and to put those insights into practice elsewhere.
I appreciate the TriFinance philosophy, the fact that colleagues listen to our needs and make them happen.
If you could, in one sentence, give your younger self some advice about ambition. What would that sentence be?
Believe in yourself and your abilities, set your own goals and do everything you can to achieve them!